MEMS devices are small structures, typically fabricated on a semiconductor wafer using processing techniques including optical lithography, metal sputtering or chemical vapor deposition, and plasma etching or other etching techniques that have been developed for the fabrication of integrated circuits. Micromirror devices are a type of MEMS device. Other types of MEMS devices include accelerometers, pressure and flow sensors, fuel injectors, inkjet ports, and gears and motors, to name a few. Micromirror devices have already met with a great amount of commercial success.
MEMS micromirror devices are being used in a variety of applications, including optical display systems, optical cross-connects for switching of optical data signals and adaptive optics for phase and other types of correction. One type of display device that has been used with a great deal of success is the Texas Instruments DLP™. In this system, many mirrors are operated individually in a bistable, digital fashion to create a projected display. Although current commercial technology has been limited to about 1.3 million pixels in the mirror array, greater mirror densities and higher yields should improve this in the future as the technology progresses.
Arrays of multi-axis tilting mirrors can also be found in other applications, such as, printing, scanning, projection, among many. Most current arrays of micromirrors can be separated into two categories: relatively large single mirrors that direct a single beam, or arrays of smaller mirrors, where many mirrors aim each light beam.
Larger mirrors can offer some advantages when steering a smaller number of discrete light beams in terms of providing an unbroken, nominally flat surface with high reflectivity. However, if the beams are too large for the mirrors, or if they are misaligned, the reflected beam is clipped and has less intensity. These types of arrays are less suitable for reflecting larger, continuous light such as an optical image. Generally, the support structures between actuating mirror elements leave too much space and thus create noticeable holes in the reflected image. Arrays of smaller mirrors also have drawbacks. Many current designs may only move in one axis, which limits some of their potential applications. Others that can move in a multi-axis fashion also often have relatively large gaps from one mirror to the next that affect the quality of the reflected beam or image. Micromirrors set in an array such as this must have some gaps between them to allow fill movement of each mirror, but it is advantageous to decrease the size of the gaps as much as possible. In addition, many designs have support structures that are small, yet are part of the visible surface. These can also contribute to the spacing between mirrors. Supports and hinges that are hidden behind the mirror surface would improve the overall reflective surface area.
A particularly important application for multi-axis tilting micromirrors is in the field of optical switching. A typical optical cross-connect for an optical networking switch includes a switching matrix having two arrays or clusters of MEMS micromirrors. The first array of micromirrors is arranged so that micromirrors in the first array receive optical input signals from one or more input sources, such as optical fiber input(s) and the second array of micromirrors is arranged so that micromirrors in the second array receive optical signals reflected from micromirrors in the first array and direct the signals as optical output signals to one or more optical outputs.
The micromirrors in each array are capable of being adjusted, steered or tilted, so that a micromirror in the first array is capable of directing a reflected optical signal to a micromirror in the second array selected from a plurality of the micromirrors in the second array. Similarly, the micromirrors in the second array can be adjusted, steered or tilted so as to align with a micromirror in the first array selected from a plurality of the micromirrors in the first array. Thus, by appropriate orientation of the micromirrors by adjustment, steering or tilting, a first micromirror in the first array can be set to deliver an optical signal to a first, second, or third, etc. micromirror of the second array, as desired, and so forth, thereby providing the switching capability of the cross-connect.
The performance of optical cross-connects that use such arrangements of MEMS micromirrors depends upon a number of factors, including how well the micromirrors in the first array are optically aligned with the micromirrors in the second array, changes in temperature, voltage drifts, and performance of the mirror surfaces of the micromirrors, which are affected by the shape or flatness of the mirror surface. Even under the best circumstances, when the micromirrors in the first and second arrays are accurately aligned and the other factors mentioned above are minimized, current cross-connects often lose 60% to 70% (about 4-5 dB losses) of the light passing through the system.
Although factors such as an incomplete reflection of infrared wavelengths from the mirror surfaces and poor coupling of fiber to lenses play a role in these losses, light scattering and other imperfections in the surfaces of mirrors are also significant factors. There is a current need for improvements in optical switching devices that will reduce the amount of losses in light outputted by such devices when compared with the amount of light inputted thereto.
Further improvements in optical switching devices, as well as in micromirror devices in general would be desirable as regards power consumption. The utilization of large mirrors relative to the size of the light beam can involve rapidly switching high voltages. One avenue for micromirror device improvement lies in continued miniaturization of the devices. In terms of performance, smaller sizes can improve power efficiency since smaller distances between parts and lower mass parts will improve energy consumption. In terms of manufacturing, continued miniaturization of mirror elements offers greater yields for a wafer of a given size.
Various aspects of the present invention offer improvement in terms of one or more of the considerations noted above. Of course, certain features may be offered in one variation of the invention, but not another. In any case, the advances offered by aspects of the present invention represent a departure from structural approaches represented by current micromirror designs.